Onus Playhouse

For seven consecutive years, Serene Dominic took the RPM Challenge and wrote and recorded an entire album in the month of February. Now in this talk-and-music analysis series, Serene and co-host Steve Asetta musical director of All Is Forgiven? and the upcoming Dark Lullaby podcast (coming in season 3) give track by track running commentary through these eight home-recorded albums.

Our discussion continues on the rest of the Unnatural Blonde album, which was written to be a song by song companion to Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 classic Vertigo. Serene And Steve banter a lot about the movie and decide their Jimmy Stewart impersonations needs work. Other topics of discussion include unwitting percussion instruments and dangerous projectiles given for free at Yankees games, Kim Novak's Groucho eyebrows, that season of Dallas that was all a dream and of course, death.

Songs include "Pinch Me," "This Means No," "It Is What It Is," "Dress You, Paint You," "Can't Unring a Bell," "Up! Up! Up1 (In three movements!)" and "Overwhelming Dream."

Click here to watch Serene Dominic condense the entire Vertigo movie into a ten-minute musical.

Click here to stream the entire Unnatural Blonde album.

Catch Serene Dominic's weekly livecast "The Human Torch Floor Show" every Thursday at 8:30 MST on facebook.com/serenedominic

Click here to read Serene's review  of Jackie Gleason's The NOW Sound ... For Today’s Lovers album in Detroit Metro Times.

For seven consecutive years, Serene Dominic took the RPM Challenge and wrote and recorded an entire album in the month of February. Now in this talk and music analysis series, Serene and co-host Steve Asetta musical director of All Is Forgiven? and the upcoming Dark Lullaby podcast (coming in season 3) give track by track running commentary through these eight home-recorded albums.

In this episode the pair analyze the Unnatural Blonde album which was written to be a song by song companion to Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 classic Vertigo. Other conversational tangents left unanswered I can filed here including when helicopters were first invented (1936),  Nino Roto's disqualified Best Original Score Oscar nomination for The Godfather (the recycled score was withdrawn, ineligible and replaced by a nomination for Sleuth ), and where else do we know the actor who played Gavin Elster in Vertigo (he played Sir Halsey Hopewell in Flipper's New Adventure). No, thank you!

Songs include "Swimming in the Head," "You'll Never Let Me Go," "Drop of a Hat," "I Stalk Around," "Dream Along with Me Darkly," "In Bed By Nine" and "All That Love Has Worn Away."

Click here to watch Serene Dominic condense the entire Vertigo movie into a ten-minute musical.

Click here to stream the entire Unnatural Blonde album.

Catch Serene Dominic's weekly livecast "The Human Torch Floor Show" every Thursday at 8:30 MST on facebook.com/serenedominic

Click here to read Serene's review  of Jackie Gleason's The NOW Sound ... For Today’s Lovers album in Detroit Metro Times.

Part 2 of the conversation between All Is Forgiven? creator Serene Dominic and Musical Director Steve Asetta giving background and insight on all the songs from the show. Conversational tangents include Serene Dominic's lost rap album, French Provincial furniture, skipping vinyl vs. skipping compact discs, the Sunnyslope Historical Society, The Clash and growing up watching The Wizard of Oz on a black and white television set. 

All Is Forgiven? creator Serene Dominic and Musical Director Steve Asetta go through all of the songs from the show and go off on tangents that include the fine art of ball and jacks, Godzilla, Stella Dora breadsticks, stripper songs and other antiquated cultural references. Our gin and tonic talk has been separated into two parts so you can imagine listening to side one of the cast album with lots of chat in between.

As a bonus to those who've completed the seven episode meal of All Is Forgiven?, the world's first episodic musical podcast, we bring you this episode of Phoenix Tonight? where hosts Russ Kazmierczak and Emily Estril interview  Serene Dominic. You can see a video of the whole Phoenix Tonight? installment here on YouTube but in case you want to continue in the same theatre of the mind territory we mined with All Is Forgiven?, it is presented here without visuals. Among the topics of discussion are the pandemic's effects on the arts, All Is Forgiven?,  the upcoming season of Onus Playhouse, the joys of sound effects and The Beatles versus The Monkees.

In our finale episode, explanations abound like raisins in Raisin Bran. Things come to a head  as the battle of humans versus Orzonians rages to its unforseeable end. We learn the truth about Vic, Shanabella and the real reason the Orzonians are here. Spoiler alert: the song titles will not give anything away.

Songs include “The Territory,” “All is Forgiven “ and “Masters of Woe.”  Deadly Sin of the Week? Don't get mad, get  WRATH!!

Cast:
Vic Masterone - Serene Dominic
Gemeleye - Joobs
Shanabella Heisener - Dayna Donovan
Rotelle - Chris Doyle
Officer Fowler - Matt Strangwayes
Hector - Ernesto Moncada
Nathan - Andrew Jemsek
Yim Lee  - Nick Pasco
Narrator -  Peter Gilstrap  

All music performed by Serene Dominic 
Musical Director - Steve Asetta 

All Is Forgiven is a Serene Dominic - Onus Production
Cast Recording Available on Onus Records 

In episode 6 of All Is Forgiven?, The Orzonians manage to blackmail everyone in a three-block radius of Vic’s paint store into working at their crystal meth fulfillment center. After vowing to do nothing, Vic colluded with Shanabella to raise arms against their oppressors and find it’s easy to kill a malevolent extra terrestrial with no street smarts? Or maybe not.

Songs include “The Heat is Upon Me Now,” “Take Some Strength From Me” and “Out of the Attic.” Deadly Sin of the Week? Sloth, if anyone asks you...

Cast:
Vic Masterone - Serene Dominic
Gemeleye - Joobs
Shanabella Heisener - Dayna Donovan
Rotelle - Chris Doyle
Scooter - Matt Strangwayes
Mrs. Navotney - Andrea Engelsberg
Hector - Ernesto Moncada
Nathan - Andrew Jemsek
Yim Lee  - Nick Pasco
Narrator -  Peter Gilstrap  

All music performed by Serene Dominic 
Musical Director - Steve Asetta 

All Is Forgiven is a Serene Dominic - Onus Production
Cast Recording Available on Onus Records 

In episode 5  of All Is Forgiven?, The Orzonians reveal their plan to get Vic back into the crystal meth manufacturing and distribution game which will violate his agreement with the US Marshalls. To strong-arm him, they threaten to disfigure his ex-wife Angie with bad liposuction. Vic mentally retreats to The Bronx to get imagined advice from his old crew.

Songs include “Morris Park Boys,” “The Sunnyslope Historic Society” and “Someone For Everyone.” Deadly Sin of the Week? Greed, thanks for asking!

Cast:
Vic Masterone - Serene Dominic
Shanabella Heisener - Dayna Donovan
Old School Sal - Steve Asetta
Frankie the Lip - Jim Dustan
Pasquale - Google Translate
Gemeleye - Joobs
Rotelle - Chris Doyle
Nathan - Andrew Jemsek
Narrator - Don Gladbee

All music performed by Serene Dominic 
Musical Director - Steve Asetta 

All Is Forgiven is a Serene Dominic - Onus Production
Cast Recording Available on Onus Records 

In episode 4  of All Is Forgiven? Vic takes Shanabella to his French Provincial riddled house in Sunnyslope after eating too much at Brusco’s and discovers she has a different slant on things not caused by a busted plastic heel on her stiletto. The newly amorous pair get some unexpected visitors who ensure that this is their first and last-ever date!

Songs include “French Provincial Kick,” “Up in Your Attic” and “Testosterone."
Deadly Sin of the Week? Gluttony, please pass the Brioski.

Cast:
Vic Masterone - Serene Dominic
Shanabella Heisener - Dayna Donovan
Gemeleye - JOOBS
Rotelle - Chris Doyle
Narrator -  Matt Strangwayes

All music performed by Serene Dominic 
Musical Director - Steve Asetta 

All Is Forgiven is a Serene Dominic - Onus Production
Cast Recording Available on Onus Records 

In Episode 3 of All Is Forgiven?, Vic gets some bad news about his ex-wife and decides to visit Shanabella at the strip club to get a better view of what she does for a living. Before the night is over, one of them will see a ghost and the other will violate the “no crying on the pole” rule.

Songs include “That’s My Ava,” “Nobody Knows Me Like You Do” and “The Night They Knocked Fat Alfonso Off.” Deadly Sin of the Week? Lust, natch!

Cast:
Vic Masterone - Serene Dominic
US Marshall Janine Miranda - JoAnna T Lawless
Shanabella Heisener - Dayna Donovan
Scooter - Matt Strangwayes
Martina - Annamarie Sanchez
Hector - Ernesto Moncada
Fat Alfonso  - Serene Dominic
Narrator -  Peter Gilstrap  

All music performed by Serene Dominic 
Musical Director - Steve Asetta 

All Is Forgiven is a Serene Dominic - Onus Production
Cast Recording Available on Onus Records